1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical apparatus and a medical system suitable for giving different treatments in a row to a patient.
2. Description of Related Art
In some of the cases where a remedy (surgery) is conducted on a patient, two or more apparatuses are consecutively used to give him different treatments in a row. In the field of ophthalmology, for example, in a remedy against retinal detachment, a vitreous body of a patient is cut and aspirated through the use of a vitrectomy apparatus having a cutter for cutting vitreous bodies. Subsequently, a laser beam from a laser photocoagulating apparatus is guided into an eye of the patient, and then is irradiated on the part suffering from retinal detachment so that a coagulation treatment is conducted. Thus, the photocoagulating apparatus is prepared in an operating room as well as the vitrectomy apparatus. Each apparatus comprises an operation panel having a variety of keys (buttons) for setting surgical conditions and the like, a foot switch for outputting signals to operate the apparatus, and the like.
However, in the case of consecutive use of those apparatuses, it is annoying and difficult to handle two operation panels independently mounted on the respective apparatuses positioned separately from each other. In addition, if the foot switches of the two apparatuses are placed next to each other at a surgeon's feet, he is liable to mix up the two foot switches. Besides, in some cases, another foot switch, which is for a surgical microscope, may be placed at his feet as well. It is also annoying and confusing to have this additional foot switch together with the two above-stated foot switches at the same time, because as many as three foot switches make a nuisance taking up too much room. On the other hand, it is too troublesome to replace a foot switch of one apparatus with that of another when needed.